Belt-shifter.



No. 848,904. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907-.

c. M. owe. BELT SHI-PTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

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CARL M. HOWG, OF EFFINGTON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

BELT-SHIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed July 12,1906. Serial No. 315,364.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL M. Howe, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eff'mgton, in the county of Roberts and State of South Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Belt-Shifters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to belt-shifters; and its primary object is to provide a novel and highlyaiseful device of this character especially adapted for use in connection with traction-engines, one by means of which a belt may be easily and quickly shifted from the driving-pulley of a tractionengine, one by means of which a belt may be retained in position on the driving-pulley while positioning a traction engine in proper relation to a threshing-machine to tighten the belt, and one which may be swung on either side of the belt to prevent wind-currents from forcing the belt oil of the driving-pulley.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a traction-engine illustrating the application of my improved belt-shifter. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the roller supported in a vertical position, a portion of the shifter being in section. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the shifter, the post being removed at a point above its horizontal arm; and Fig. 61s a View in elevation of the bracket for supporting the inner end of the shaft.

Referring to the drawings by referencenumerals, 1 designates a traction-engine, 2 the driving-pulley thereof, and 3 a belt, all being of the usual construction.

Secured to the boilerof the traction-engine 1 in advance of the driving-pulley 2 are laterally-projecting bracketarms 3 and 4.

The bracket-arms are provided with bearings in which is journaled a vertical post 5.

The post 5 at a point above the bracket 3 is bent to provide a diagonally and inwardly extending arm 6 and is bent at a point below the bracket 4 to provide a horizontallydis posed and outwardly-extending arm 7, said arm 7 being rectangular in cross-section and having its outer end forked.

A shaft 8 is provided with a vertically-extending portion 9, which has its upper end disposed within the forked end of the arm 7 and hingedly secured to said arm by means of a pintle 10.

A roller 11 is journaled upon the shaft 8 and held thereon by means of a washer 12 and a pin 13. The shaft 8 may be swung into horizontal position in parallel alinement with the arm 7 to place the roller 11 to receive and sustain the lower run of the belt 3, so as to permit the belt to be shifted from the driving-pulley 2 or so as to prevent the belt from being shifted from the pulley while positioning the traction-engine with relation to a threshing-machine to tighten the belt. The ends of the roller 11 are provided with flanges 14, which engage the edges of the lower run of the belt, and thereby prevent the belt from having any lateral movement upon the pulley 2. The shaft may be swung into a vertical position to place the roller 11 in engagement with either the outer or inner edge of the lower run of the belt to prevent air-currents from shifting the belt from the pulley.

In order to retain the shaft 8 in either a horizontal or vertical position, I slidably mount upon the arm 7 a boxing 15, which has the under side of its outer end cut away, as at 16, to receive the upper end of the portion 9 of the shaft 8 when the shaft is in a horizontal position and to receive the outer portion of said shaft 8 when it is in a vertical position, as is fully illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, respectively. The portion 9 of the shaft 8, owing to its hinged connection with the arm 7, assumes a horizontal position in direct alinement with the arm 7 when the shaft 8 is moved into a vertical position, thus permitting the boxing 15 to be moved outwardly upon the arm 7 to engage said portion 9 and retain the shaft 8 inrigid vertical position. When it is desired to move the shaft 8 into a horizontal position, the boxing 15 is moved inwardly upon the arm 7, and to rigidly retain the shaft in this position a depending bracket 16 is removably secured to the inner end of the boxing to receive the inwardly-projecting end of the shaft.

To receive the end of the shaft, the lower end of the bracket 16 is provided with an elongated opening 17, which has formed in its vertical walls slots 18. To position the end of the shaft in the slot of the bracket 15, the bracket and boxing are moved inwardly, and after the shaft has been thus positioned said bracket and boxing are moved outwardly to pass the ends of the pin 13 through the slots 18, after which the end of the shaft is forced downwardly into the opening '17, whereupon the ends of the pin 13 engage the inner face of the bracket 16, thus preventing the bracket from moving accidentally off of the end of the shaft. The bracket is secured in position upon the boxing 15 by means of a set-screw 19. The boxing is also secured in position to retain the shaft 8 in a vertical position by means of a set-screw 20.

It should be apparent from the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that when the shaft 8 is in a horizontal position the roller 11 engages and supports the lower run of the belt 3, thus permitting the belt to be shifted from the pulley 2 and preventing the belt from being accidentally shifted while positioning the traction-engine in proper relation to a threshing-machine to tighten the belt; that when the shaft 8 is in a vertical position the post 5 may be moved to position the roller in en agement with the outer or inner edge of the lower run of the belt 3 to prevent air-currents from shifting the belt from the pulley 2, and that the shaft may be swung into and held rigidly in either a horizontal or vertical position.

To shift the belt 3 from the pulley 2 or to position the roller in engagement with either edge of the lower run of the belt, the post 5 must be turned, While in order to retain the belt against accidental shifting from the pulley or to retain the roller in engagement with either edge of the lower run of the belt the post must be held against turning.

To either turn the post or to prevent its turning, I secure to the upper end of the arm 6 an operating-rod 21, which has its rear end provided with a hand-grip 22 and disposed above the platform of the traction-engine. The rear end ofthe rod 21 is provided with a rack 23, which is designed to engage a rigid dog 24 upon the traction-engine. By moving the rack 23 upward out of engagement with the dog 24 the post 5 may be turned to either shift the belt 3 from the pulley 2 or to position the roller in engagement with either edge of the lower run of the belt. In order to retain the roller in position to prevent the accidental shifting of the belt from the pulley, the rack is caused to engage the dog 24.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of the invention will be understood without a further extended description.

Changes in the form, proportions, and

minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having fully described and illustrated my invention, what I claim is- 1. A belt-shifter comprising a ournaled post, said post being provided with a horizontally-disposed arm, a shaft provided with an angular portion hingedly connected to said arm, said shaft being adapted to be moved into a horizontal or vertical position, means for supporting said shaft in either of said positions, and a roller journaled upon said shaft.

2. A beltshifter comprising a journaled post, said post being provided with a horizontally-disposed arm, a shaft provided with an angular portion hingedly connected to said arni, said shaft being adapted to be moved into a horizontal or vertical position, a boxing mounted upon said arm and adapted to retain the shaft in a vertical position, a bracket secured to said boxing and engagin the shaft to support the same in a horizontal position, and a roller journaled upon said shaft.

3. A belt-shifter comprising a journaled post provided with an angularly-disposed arm, a shaft connected with the arm and adapted to be supported at an angle or in parallel alinement with relation to the arm, and a roller journaled upon the shaft.

4. A belt-shifter comprising a verticallyjournaled post provided with a horizontallydisposed arm, a shaft connected with the arm and adapted to be supported at an angle or in parallel alinement with relation thereto, and a roller journaled upon the shaft.

5. A belt-shifter comprising an arm, a shaft provided with an angular portion hingedly connected to the arm, said shaft being adapted to be supported at an angle or in parallel alinement with relation to the arm, a boxing mounted upon the arm and adapted to engage the angular portion of the shaft to sup port the latter at an angle with relation to the arm, a bracket secured to the boxing and adapted to support the shaft in parallel ICC relation with the arm, and a roller ournaled upon the shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' CARL M. HOWG.

Witnesses:

F. WM. Foss, AIMEE L. MACDONALD. 

